Couple discover winning ticket at the last minute in Christmas miracle
By Kate Northrop
After a month's worth of attempts from the Hoosier Lottery to locate the missing winner of a $1 million winning Powerball lottery prize, one Indiana couple stepped forward just five hours before it was set to expire to claim it.
Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief after an anonymous couple came forward to claim a $1 million winning Powerball lottery ticket in what can only be described as a Christmas miracle.
Throughout December, the Hoosier Lottery was actively publicizing an unclaimed $1 million Powerball prize, with officials scratching their heads wondering when — or whether — the owner of the ticket would be showing up on their doorstep to claim the prize.
As it turns out, the winning couple, who requested their identities remain private, had seen all the news coverage, plus signage at the local Kendallville Finish Line retailer on Professional Way in Kendallville, where the ticket was purchased.
At the time they had begun seeing all the notices, however, they could not recall whether they had actually purchased a ticket for the June 29, 2024 drawing, or if they had even stopped at that specific gas station to buy a ticket in the first place. They still took the time to look for the winning ticket, but they gave up and assumed they did not even buy a ticket for the drawing when their search turned out to be unsuccessful.
The month of December was coming to a close, and the Dec. 26 claims deadline was just mere days away. That didn't stop the Lottery from trying to alert the winner, and their efforts paid off.
Just prior to Christmas, the Lottery said, the couple once again heard that the ticket remained unclaimed and was about to expire. They agreed to search one more time and woke up at 4:00 a.m. on Christmas morning.
The pair searched every crevice, nook, and cranny in their vehicle. Deep between the seats, they found a $1 million winning Powerball ticket.
That ticket had matched all five white ball numbers from the June 29 drawing — 26, 51, 54, 61, and 69 — but missed the Powerball number 25 to win the jackpot.
Just five hours before the expiration deadline, the couple showed up at the Hoosier Lottery Prize Payment Office in downtown Indianapolis to claim the prize. It had to be claimed at that specific location no later than 4:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 26.
"It was an emotional day for both of us," the couple told the Lottery.
The Lottery recommends that players store their tickets in a secure place and consider meeting with a financial advisor before claiming big prizes.
The next Powerball annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Monday, Dec. 30 currently stands at $163 million.
Powerball is played in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega website provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States' two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Good story Kate!
I always keep my tickets in the same general area in a room in my house.
If Ive won a prize ( under say 600 dollars) after the drawing I put that winning ticket in my wallet where I will carry to cash it at a store and put to my next ticket purchase. And I keep the losing tickets in to check the next day just in case the numbers drawn were *changed* overnight. Note: I've never won 600 dollars.
ShagE
Let me give a word of advice to everyone that buy lottery tickets. Number one take pictures of your current lottery tickets. Because it is easier to go through your phone pictures to find it than tearing your house down.
Number two leave your ticket in your wallet at a zipper side so you know where you keep all your tickets. If you have too much tickets find a portfolio or container and write lotto on it so you don't throw it away.
But remember the first step at the store after you buy it immediately take pictures.
Good advice Joe! I do just about everything you suggest with the exception of photographing but, that sounds like a great idea should I ever hit it big.
Photograph the ticket and photograph the area where you placed the ticket.
Only problem ... what if someone else gets hold of your phone ie it's misplaced or stolen and they go through your photos that person could hold you ransom .
Okay I know it's far-fetched scenario....
Maybe I'll keep my winning ticket between my sock and the shoe I am wearing. Nah, what if I should go to a Japanese restaurant that requires you to remove your shoes???! Lol
ShagE
That is funny you said that but have never lost my phone ever not because of the tickets least of my problems just that too many delicious treats on my phone waiting for the money to fully have them harvested lol 😆 l take the 5th
ok l remember now I did loss my phone one time and I ask Google to find my phone and it showed me my phone 8 miles behind me and the only thing l did 8 miles behind me was throw away trash and the phone was not moving so I figured it out l threw it away with the trash 🚮 and trust me l called it no answer went back and found it luckily no extra trash was on it .So happy to find it intact but due to my calls one guy was wondering arround the trash container l told him back off Amigo 😃😆. I asked him did you see my phone and he said go inside the store and ask but luckily for me l never went inside the store the last time I stopped so I search and found it he was not happy 😃
Every time I buy lottery tickets, I scan and save them on the lottery app.
I then put them in this book and take them out after the draw, toss the losers and cash out my small winnings.
I am sure you are the only one doing that. What are the odds of actually buying a winning ticket and then losing it.
I would be curious to know if any state lottery has ever allowed a photo of a ticket to claim vs the paper ticket. A photo of a ticket does not mean it is your ticket although it might start the ball rolling for a lottery investigation to verify the wunner.
How does your state lottery app allow you to scan a ticket before the drawing? I get a message saying the drawing has not occurred yet.
Our State Lottery App allows us to SCAN and SAVE tickets before the draw.
When the draw is done you get a notification if any of the tickets is a winner.
You can save both single draw and multi draw tickets.
Wow. Virginia needs to do that as well.
what if your foot sweat dissolves the ticket? personally i don't like to fold mine because the crease might affect the lottery's ability to read and scan it. i put them in an envelope labeled jello salad recipes.
That's a good idea to share with them.
possibly keep your tickets in a ziplock sandwich bag .. then put the bag - in - under - behind or on top of some piece of furniture. Then take a photo of that piece of furniture to help your memory should you forget about where you hid the *winning* ticket.
Of course you may look foolish to your significant other should he/she browse through your photos ... and wonder why you have a photo of your toilet.
I keep mine in one of those lottery folders they give out for free. I have one for new tickets, one for scratchers and one for empty lottery slips. Glad they came forward in time.